Brockville Climate Action Group

REAL Update / Alexis Asselin / April 2008

Members of REAL's Climate Change Action Team (CCAT) have launched a project that will provide bike carts (those are the ones that you pull behind your bike, not to be confused with trailers that carry bikes!) to Smiths Falls. In the process, we will train interested youth in general bicycle and cart building and maintenance.

Two local handy and skilled people, Kirk Everett and Bob Taylor, have agreed to share their time and skills in building the first bike carts and mentoring the youth. Construction will begin once the snow melts. The carts will be easily attached to a wide range of bicycles using a removable or fixed hitch. With a carrying capacity expected to be around 150-250 lbs., they will allow people to do groceries, errands you would otherwise have to do in a car and move bulky items (but not too bulky - no refrigerators, please!)

Once the carts are built, they will be housed around town in locations where we expect they will get the most use. A high-density neighbourhood where many people express an interest would be ideal. A backyard, a garage, an accessible public space like the REAL Deal Store's new location are all possibilities. Suggest one!

Community members, school groups, nonprofits, churches and others will all be welcome to use the bike carts in exchange for some as yet undetermined token (small fee, commitment to help maintain the carts, donation of parts, tools or space, etc.). We will also be exploring using the carts to provide services such as grocery delivery for decreased mobility community members, and for cooperative moving, as well as producing more bike carts for sale if there is interest.

The goals of the Community Bike Cart Project are to build an alternative way to meet community needs, challenge car culture, encourage the sharing of resources and skills across generations and to help in the fight against climate change.

We are actively seeking recycled, scavenged and new materials to work with. Donations of EMT conduit, plywood, assorted lumber, broken hockey sticks, nuts and bolts and other assorted construction materials and tools are needed. Your feedback and participation are welcome! Whether you are interested in shaping the project, learning skills, using the bike carts, offering resources or getting more information please contact Alexis Asselin at lelorax@gmail.com or come to the next CCAT meeting on May 14.

[ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE ]